Stop fall pole climbing device

ABSTRACT

A safety device comprising a roller linked chain for encircling a pole and a spring locking means for retaining the chain in a fixed postion and further associated spur for engaging the pole being climbed and a safety ring for attaching the device to the climber.

e United States Patent 1 1 1 3,743,050 Danz 1 July 3, 1973 [54] STOP FALL POLE CLIMBING DEVICE 2.168.111 8/1939 Barnes 182/187 3.407.898 1019 8 J h I82 9 [76] Inventor: Jay Roger Danz, P.O. Box 300, l 6 0 Johnson City, Tex. M g Primary Examiner Reinaldo P. Machado [22] Attorney-Willard J. Hodges, Jr. [21] Appl. No.: 280,955

52 us. or. 182/9 [571 ABSTRACT 2; A62b A safety device comprising a roller linked chain for en- 1 0 earc 24/1 15 circling a pole and a spring locking means for retaining the chain in a fixed postion and further associated spur for engaging the pole being climbed and a safety ring [56] References cued for attaching the device to the climber.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,060.953 11/1936 Strom 182/187 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PAlEN-IEllJuLs 191s SHEEIZUFZ FIG.4v

FIG. 5

or a tree for supporting seats or scaffolds have been invented and patented such as U. S. Pat. Nos. 852,623; 1,535,978; and 2,060,953. Such devices encircle a pole or tree and support a man or a scaffold; however, none of the devices to the knowledge of your inventor are specifically designed or adapted to a safety device to grasp the pole should the climber slip or fall.

a roller link chain for encircling a pole, an adjustable catch is provided for securing the chain around the pole. The catch means includes a safety ring for attaching the device to the safety belt of the climber and a pole spur for securely engaging the pole when the safety ring is pulled toward the ground.

tomatically seize or grasp the pole should the climber slip and begin to fall.

STOP FALL POLE CLIMBING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to a pole climbing safety device for telephone or power lines. The device is designed for encircling the pole being climbed and secured to the safety belt of the linesman. The device is hand held and moves with or proceeds the linesman up the pole. Should the climber slip or fall, the chain jam locks around the pole while the safety spur engages the pole and supports the climber.

2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Various combinations of chains for encircling a pole SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is primarily a safety device comprising One object was to construct a device which was compact, light, and could be hand held as the climber proceeds up the pole.

Another object was to provide a safety device to au- 3 Another object was to provide a device which could grasp a pole and support the climber in a fixed position when desired.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to one skilled in the art from a study of the attached several views and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the device in the open position prior to encircling a pole.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device closed and secured around a simulated pole.

FIG. 3 is a fragmented view of the roller link chain.

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the device principally disclosing the configuration of the pole spur.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the device illustrating principally the spur, the spring loaded chain catch, and the safety ring.

FIG. 6 is a right side view illustrating some of the detail of the spring loaded chain catch.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For a description of the construction of the preferred pins 14 retain the components of chain 10 in position. The chain is characterized as quite flexible in two directions in a plane and relatively rigid in the area from the plane. Chain 10 is fixedly secured at one end by a chain securing means 15 such as pins or welding to the chain pole catch 16. The chain pole catch 16 may be constructed from U shaped channel iron generally defining a catch body -17 having a floor plate 18, a first side rail 19, and a second side rail 20. As best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, a pole spur 21 having a pole engaging point 22 is constructed integral with or welded to the exterior of the floor plate 18. A belt safety ring 23 should be flexibly secured to the floor plate 18 or pole spur 21 adjacent the end opposite the pole engaging point 22. Constructed in the catch body 17 is a spring loaded adjustagle catch 24 for securing the roller link chain 10 in any desired position. This spring loaded catch 24 is generally supported by spring shaft 25 slidably mounted in spring catch guide 26 welded to or integral with the floor plate 18 or pole spur 21. Mounted around spring shaft 25 in compression is spring 27 secured by shaft nut 28. Perpendicular to spring shaft 25 is spring catch plate 29 preferably of the general configuration illustrated in FIG. 6. Secured to the center of plate 29 is a large thumb ring 30 to permit easy operation of the catch by the thumb of the gloved hand of the linesmen. Rigidly protruding from each end of sping catch plate 29 and projecting through the second side rail 20 of catch body 17 is first chain lock pin 31 and second chain lock pin 32. When the spring loaded adjustable catch 24 is rotated to a locking position, the first 31 and second lock pin 32 project through the first lock pin aperture 33 and the second lock pin aperture 34 and securely lockingly engage roller link chain 10 in the space between two cylinders 13. When a release position is desired, outward pressure on thumb ring 30 will compress spring 27 and a tilting of spring catch plate 29 in either direction will contact either the first catch lift seat 35 or the second catch lift seat 36 and retain the catch in the open position as lock pins 31 and 32 contact the surface of the second side rail 20 adjacent the first and second lock pin apertures 33 and 34.

OPERATION For utilization and operation of the chain pole catch 16, reference is particularly made to FIGS. 1 and 2. The constrcution and configuration of linesmen or pole climbers, safety belts secured around the linesmans waist and climbing spikes secured to feet will not be described in detail in that such equipment is commercially available and well known in the art. The construction of safety straps which may project from the belt will not be illustrated or described in that they also are well known. Such items comprise the normal equipment utilized by telephone and power linesmen and are common and well known tools of their trade. The device of this invention is an adjunct to this well known equipment. In utilization of the device, the chain pole catch 16 may be secured to the safety belt (not shown) by means of safety belt strap 41. Conventional method of securing would be a safety belt hook 42 which would engage the belt and safety ring 23 securing the device to the safety belt (not shown). Spring loaded adjustable catch 24 is withdrawn from engagement with the roller link chain 10 and the device placed in the open configuration illustrated in FIG. 1. Roller link chain 10 is loosely secured around the pole 40 to be climbed. Chain is positioned with the links staggered in the catch body 17 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thumb ring 30 is grasped by the climber and spring loaded adjustable catch 27 rotated permitting the first and second chain lock pins 31 and 32 to penetrate the first and second lock pin apertures 33 and 34 engaging and retaining the chain 10 with the first and second chain lock pins 31 and 32 projecting between the two adjacent cylinders 13 of the chain 10. With the device assembled substantially in the configuration illustrated in FIG. 2 the climber may proceed up the pole 40 sliding the device of this invention upward as he climbs. In the event the climber should slip and start to fall, chain 10 would initially be retarded by friction. Downward tension on safety belt strap 41 will cause the device to tilt causing the roller link chain 10 to jam lock around pole 40. In addition, the tilting of chain pole catch 16 would cause rotation of pole spur 21 causing pole engaging point 22 to penetrate and engage pole 40 arresting any further downward fall or movement of linesman.

A secondary use of this device would be to voluntarily tilt the chain pole catch 16 with the belt safety ring 23 in an angling downward position. Such would jam lock the chain 10 around the pole 40 causing engaging point 22 of pole spur 21 to secure the device in position around the pole 40. A load could then be placed on belt safety ring 23 and the climber or any other selected load would be secured in position, relative to pole 40.

Having described the construction of the device of this invention in detail and a brief illustration of its useful purpose, what is desired to be claimed is all modifications and adaptations of this invention not departing from the scope of equivalents of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pole climbing safety device comprising:

a. a roller link chain having a first end and a second end, said first end fixedly secured to,

b. a chain pole catch including securing means for receiving and securely retaining said second end of said roller link chain, said means further comprismg:

l. a spring loaded adjustable catch constructed and arranged to penetrate and retain said second end of said roller link chain,

c. a pole spur secured to and projecting from the said chain pole catch, and

d. a safety ring secured to said chain pole catch opposite said pole spur.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said chain pole catch further comprises a catch body having:

a. a floor plate,

b. a first side rail projecting substantially normal to said floor plate, and

c. a second side rail projecting substantially normal to said floor plate spaced from said first side rail, said spacing of a width equal to twice the width of said roller link chain.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said spring loaded adjustable catch further comprises:

a. a spring catch guide-secured to said chain pole catch,

b. a spring shaft penetrating said spring catch guide,

c. a spring encircling said spring shaft,

d. a spring catch plate secured to one end of said spring shaft, and

e. a chain lock pin projecting from said spring catch plate adapted to penetrate said loose end of said roller link chain and firmly securing said chain in a pre-selected position.

4. The invention of claim 3. further comprising a multiplicity of chain lock pins.

5. The invention of claim 2 further comprising a lock pin aperture constructed in said side rail, said aperture adapted to be penetrated by a chain lock pin thereby retaining said roller link chain firmly in a pre-selected position.

6. The invention of claim 2 further comprising a catch lift seat secured to and projecting normal to said side rail.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the chain pole catch comprises:

a. a catch body including,

1. a floor plate having the said pole spur secured to said floor plate,

2. a first side rail secured to and projecting normal from said floor plate,

3. a second side rail secured to and projecting normal from said floor plate,

b. said spring loaded adjustable catch further comprising;

l. a spring catch guide secured to said chain pole catch floor plate,

2. a spring shaft movably mounted in said spring catch guide,

3. a spring encircling said spring shaft, said spring urging said spring loaded adjustable catch in the direction of said chain pole catch body,

4. a spring catch plate securely affixed to said spring shaft, said plate projecting in a plane normal to said spring shaft,

5. a chain link lock pin projecting normal from said spring catch plate,

c. a lock pin aperture constructed in the said side rail of said chain pole catch body, said aperture adapted to receive and be penetrated by said chain lock pin, and

d. a chain catch plate lift seat securely affixed to and projecting normal from said chain pole catch body side rail adjacent said lock pin aperture, said construction and arrangement being such that said spring catch plate is contacted and stopped by said catch lift seat holding said chain lock pin out of alignment with said lock pin aperture.

8. The invention of claim 7 including:

a. a multiplicity of chain lock pins,

b. a multiplicity of chain lock pin apertures, and

c. a multiplicity of chain lift seats.

9. The invention of claim 1 including a safety belt strap secured to said belt safety ring.

i I 1 I 

1. A pole climbing safety device comprising: a. a roller link chain having a first end and a second end, said first end fixedly secured to, b. a chain pole catch including securing means for receiving and securely retaining said second end of said roller link chain, said means further comprising:
 1. a spring loaded adjustable catch constructed and arranged to penetrate and retain said second end of said roller link chain, c. a pole spur secured to and projecting from the said chain pole catch, and d. a safety ring secured to said chain pole catch opposite said pole spur.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said chain pole catch further comprises a catch body having: a. a floor plate, b. a first side rail projecting substantially normal to said floor plate, and c. a second side rail projecting substantially normal to said floor plate spaced from said first side rail, said spacing of a width equal to twice the width of said roller link chain.
 2. a spring shaft movably mounted in said spring catch guide,
 2. a first side rail secured to and projecting normal from said floor plate,
 3. a second side rail secured to and projecting normal from said floor plate, b. said spring loaded adjustable catch further comprising:
 3. a spring encircling said spring shaft, said spring urging said spring loaded adjustable catch in the direction of said chain pole catch body,
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said spring loaded adjustable catch further comprises: a. a spring catch guide secured to said chain pole catch, b. a spring shaft penetrating said spring catch guide, c. a spring encircling said spring shaft, d. a spring catch plate secured to one end of said spring shaft, and e. a chain lock pin projecting from said spring catch plate adapted to penetrate said loose end of said roller link chain and firmly securing said chain in a pre-selected position.
 4. The invention of claim 3 further comprising a multiplicity of chain lock pins.
 4. a spring catch plate securely affixed to said spring shaft, said plate projecting in a plane normal to said spring shaft,
 5. The invention of claim 2 further comprising a lock pin aperture constructed in said side rail, said aperture adapted to be penetrated by a chain lock pin thereby retaining said roller link chain firmly in a pre-selected position.
 5. a chain Link lock pin projecting normal from said spring catch plate, c. a lock pin aperture constructed in the said side rail of said chain pole catch body, said aperture adapted to receive and be penetrated by said chain lock pin, and d. a chain catch plate lift seat securely affixed to and projecting normal from said chain pole catch body side rail adjacent said lock pin aperture, said construction and arrangement being such that said spring catch plate is contacted and stopped by said catch lift seat holding said chain lock pin out of alignment with said lock pin aperture.
 6. The invention of claim 2 further comprising a catch lift seat secured to and projecting normal to said side rail.
 7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the chain pole catch comprises: a. a catch body including,
 8. The invention of claim 7 including: a. a multiplicity of chain lock pins, b. a multiplicity of chain lock pin apertures, and c. a multiplicity of chain lift seats.
 9. The invention of claim 1 including a safety belt strap secured to said belt safety ring. 